Covert Affairs
by BleedingCoffee
Summary: AU spy fic: Roy and Riza are married however neither knows the other is a secret agent. Trying to lead two lives to protect the one you love sometimes becomes more than one person can handle.
1. The New Recruit

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.

**AN:** First published FMA fanfic so bear with me as I'm still trying to juggle all the information and different worlds associated with this fandom. Thanks to insomnia I thought a AU story with a feel of Alias/Mr. And Mrs. Smith with an M rating was needed. Probably has been done, but what hasn't? And who doesn't want RoyAi smut? Having some fun, so hopefully you don't mind the read.

**Summary:** Amestris is a different world. War lingers on the horizon to the North and West and the military is more interested in espionage than genocide. Increased tensions between Creta and Drachma drew attention away from an extermination campaign in Ishval in order to protect the country from invasion. Creta has encouraged terrorist attacks while Drachma relies on espionage; Each country seeking to weaken the heavily militarized state of Amestris before starting a war. It's a Cold War, with tensions running high and everyone uneasy...but no official war to fight in the open.

Enter our heroes. Roy Mustang is a state alchemist and teaches at the military academy as his cover. When not talking down to cadets or forgetting to grade papers, he's at work with friend and partner Maes Hughes trying to stop terrorists from killing the good people of his country. At the end of the day he goes home to his wife Riza and pretends to be a boring professor instead of a government counter terrorism agent trying to save the world.

Riza Mustang is far from the secretary that her husband believes she is. To protect him from the dangers of her life as a spy she has to lie to him and he thinks she works at the First Bank of Amestris. Her codename is Hawkeye, one of country's best secret agents in the war against Drachma's ruthless spies. She's a crack shot, skilled in combat techniques, infiltration methods and the occasional undercover op. Her partner is Rebecca Catalina who handles armaments, intell and support.

Neither knows of the others secret identity.

* * *

_Covert Affairs_

Chapter 1

**The New Recruit**

* * *

Roy looked up from the newspaper as Riza served him his breakfast. "How did you say you got that cut on your lip again?"

She smiled. "It was stupid, I just walked into the filing cabinet like an idiot."

He frowned. She wasn't a clumsy woman, in fact she was far from it. He didn't really think much on it last night when he came home and she explained the injury but now it just didn't sit right with him. Accidents happened, but this seemed odd. "It looks a lot worse than it did yesterday."

"Eat your breakfast before it gets cold or you're late to work." She pushed his plate to him and looked at her reflection in the toaster. Damn, that did look bad. She cursed herself for letting that Drachma girl land a hit yesterday. She got careless and thought the other spy had already been subdued and went to grab the leaked intell before it floated down the sewer system. Stupid move. Now she was forced to lie to her husband yet again.

Roy didn't want to press the issue, but he couldn't recall filing cabinets being that tall in the office that she worked in. He mentally chided himself, he didn't need to question everything his wife told him. She wasn't the enemy. He had to save that for people who really required his scrutiny. He ignored the scrambled eggs and bacon and went over to molest her a little before they had to leave for work. "Sorry, didn't mean to make you self conscious."

Riza leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pretended like his next move wasn't going to be groping her. She leaned back and placed a light kiss on his lips right before his right hand drifted up and began to rub the bottom of her breast. "Stop procrastinating. It's not setting a good example if you're always late."

"I say we skip breakfast and do something else on this table to start the morning off right."

She slapped his hand as he tried to snake his way into her blouse. "Go to work Roy. If you wouldn't stay up so late reading then maybe you could come to bed before I was asleep."

He frowned as she straightened her blouse and kissed him goodbye. Of course the only time he could do work in his study was after she went to bed. Last thing he needed was to come up with an explanation for the diagrams of incendiary devices he was studying. "Noted."

"Have a good day at work."

He nodded and replied. "You too."

She walked out of the house and wondered what was up with him lately. He was so tired and working so late, it had to be something having to do with his research. God knows, he'd never stay up to grade papers.

Roy rubbed his eyes and watched the toast she made for him pop out of the toaster. He was going to have to start going to bed sooner. He yawned and grabbed the toast and walked back over to the table then slid his eggs and bacon onto it to make a to-go breakfast sandwich. He looked down at the paper again and to the article about another explosion at one of the train depots. Well...maybe sleep was overrated.

He blinked at the clock and saw the time. He was glad that his cover was a lazy professor and he could stroll into class as late as he wanted. He made a mental note to make some plans for Friday night so he could take Riza out and get things back on track with them again. Last thing he wanted was his other life interfering with his home life. He needed a damned break.

* * *

Edward Elric's eyebrow twitched as his assignment made it's way back to him. His teeth ground together and he restrained himself from making an outburst in the middle of class. However he glared at the arrogant ass casually scribing equations on the chalk board and couldn't wait til he heard the bell and cornered the bastard in his damned office.

"Isn't Professor Mustang dreamy?"

Ed lost his concentration as he heard another giggle and a sigh. He looked to the two older girls beside him and frowned. He was granted admission to the academy several years early thanks to his unique skills as an alchemist. He was recruited by afore mentioned arrogant ass himself while he was on sabbatical and discovered that he and his brother Al had attempted human transmutation. That was a few years ago now, but even he had to admit he wasn't ready to handle college level material at that point. When it came time he sent in his application and was quickly accepted; apparently Mustang's recommendation meant something. Now he was two months into his freshman year and hadn't learned a damned thing except that Professor Mustang was a shitty teacher, never arrived for class on time and felt that his homework was a great resting place for his coffee and bacon sandwich. His high hopes of walking in and immediately taking his state certification were dashed and now he was looking at four long years sitting beside lovestruck teenage girls drooling over their teacher.

"I love his voice too. It's like...making love to my ears."

Ed slammed his fist on the desk and growled.

"Oh sorry kid, probably shouldn't talk about stuff like that around you." The second girl chirped.

Ed looked down at his paper and tried to ignore the whispers next to him as Mustang continued to drone on about the covalent and ionic bonds and kinetic energy required to make his equation work. He stared at the coffee cup ring and the grease stains that ruined his handwritten work . Then there were the words 'Interesting' scrawled across the bottom and 'B-'. Ed knew he didn't even bother to read the paper. Nobody thought alternative layouts of the periodic table was interesting, not even alchemists.

"I wish he taught anatomy."

"Shh...he's married."

"What a lucky girl."

Ed looked at his pencil and considered stabbing himself in the ears. He thought there would be some higher level of professionalism at the _military_ academy but that seemed to not be the case. Even the military let horny fangirls in and employed lazy assholes who couldn't be bothered to be punctual. He looked up as the bell rang and grinned. Finally!

Roy waved non nonchalantly at the work on the board and threw down the chalk on the desk. "Alright, guess we'll start again tomorrow."

"Hey Mustang!" Ed stormed up, and held his paper up and brandished it at the man. "What the hell is this?"

"Your sub-standard work?" Roy replied and picked up his notes and walked to his office as the kid stood there looking like he was going to boil over and brain matter was going to start dripping out of his nose. He opened the door to his office and slammed the door, throwing his course notes on the pile of crap accumulating on the desk. He yawned and looked for his coffee mug as the door swung open and in marched the outraged Ed. "No, please come in. I insist."

"What the hell is this...grease doing on my paper?"

Roy filled up his coffee mug and smirked. "Next time I'll make sure it's more appropriate and use cocktail sauce."

"Did you just call me a shrimp!?"

"Nothing gets by you, does it?"

Ed shook with rage. "I spent hours researching this...wrote it twice...and you use it as a napkin!?"

"You need to figure out how to better manage your time." Roy added some sugar and cream and smiled. "A simple assignment like that is hardly worth hours of research."

"Here...want to use this as a coaster? Seems to be the only use you have for it!" Ed hollered.

Roy sipped his coffee and wondered how many years it was taking off Ed's life to be this dramatic and stressed out. "Lighten up kid."

"B MINUS?" Ed screamed.

Roy squinted to see what he wrote and shrugged again. "Make it more than interesting next time."

"You didn't even read it you asshole!"

"Why the hell would I? Who the hell wants to read about alternative layouts of the periodic table? Could you have picked a more boring subject?"

"AHHHHHH!"

"See, _interesting _that you chose the most mind numbing topic to research. Thought you'd be more creative." Roy tried not to smile as Ed threw his paper on the ground and sunk into the chair to try and pull his hair out. "Want some coffee? Clearly you don't have enough caffeine in your system already."

"Stop...antagonizing...me!" Ed stood up and glared at him and watched the bastard casually wander over to his desk and sit down. Mustang then put his coffee cup on a test that looked peculiarly like one he had taken earlier that week. He recognized his transmutation circle and leaned forward to see it was indeed his test. "You son of a bitch!"

"What now?" Roy sat down and shook his head. "Do you have something to actually talk with me about or do you think I'm here to council you on your anger because I can assure you it's not the case."

Ed clenched his fists. "Why did you help me get in here if all you want to do is force me to quit!"

"Who said anything about quitting? Really is this all it took to make you want to run back home?"

"I'm here to learn and from what I can see you don't actually teach shit in that classroom just bore the hell out of everyone who isn't drooling over you. What kind of alchemist are you?! You're supposed to seek truth, enjoy the work! You're supposed to help me get my certification!"

"When did I ever agree to that?" Roy asked and watched a vein twitch over his eye. He wondered when he should stop torturing him but it was all to easy. His phone rang and he frowned. So much for his fun. He leaned over to grab it and Ed threw his hands up in the air and mumbled something about lack of professionalism. "Mustang."

"_Hi Roy!"_

Roy sighed. Hughes was calling, that meant there had been another development in the bombing case. "Hi Maes."

"_Hey, free for lunch?"_

Roy watched Ed check out a picture on the wall before moving on to the stacks of unorganized books on the floor that were threatening to topple over. He really had been struggling with the decision to recruit Ed into the program and drag someone so young into the rather dismal world of counter terrorism. The kid's scores and work were off the charts. Even some boring as hell assignment like the one covered in bacon grease and coffee on the floor betrayed the gift the boy had for reading between the lines and pushing past documented research to find new information.

"_Roy?" Still there?"_

"Yeah, Maes." Roy sighed as Ed knelt down and tried to remove a book from the bottom of a precariously perched stack and failed, toppling the stack and creating a domino effect that was going to bury him under an avalanche of alchemy texts and research notes. However the kid surprised him and used his alchemy at the last second to transform the wave of literature into a fixed wall and save himself. Then he grabbed the book he wanted and stood up. "I'm bringing a student."

Ed turned around and was surprised when Mustang looked almost apologetic as he hung up the phone. "So...can I borrow this?"

"Sure. Come on, I'll buy you lunch." Roy stood, grabbed his coat and slung it over his shoulder before picking up a leather briefcase and coming over to stand in front of him.

"Really?" Ed narrowed his eyes at him. "Who was that on the phone? Am I in some sort of trouble?"

Roy shrugged and looked at the picture on the wall of him and Riza at some formal function. He was glad he didn't have to go home and tell her that the highlight of his day was introducing a fourteen year old into the world of hunting terrorists, defusing bombs and inspecting obliterated remains for ignition sources. At least that was one benefit of lying to his wife about his real profession. "Save your questions, you don't want to be late."

"Funny thing to hear from you." Ed went over and grabbed his bag, curious as to how a simple phone call could turn Mustang so serious. Shit! He really had to be in trouble.

"Might want to bring your homework with you in case they don't have enough napkins at the restaurant." Roy smirked as he walked out of his office and heard Ed blast another obscenity at him.

* * *

Riza shuffled some miscellaneous bank paperwork around and tried to pretend to be working when in reality she was replaying the morning's interaction with her husband though her head. She was wondering what the hell she did to make him act like he was avoiding her. She looked out the glass window of her office and into the lobby of the First Bank of Amestris. It was lunchtime so people were trying to get their banking done on their breaks. She needed to look like she was doing something or impatient customers were going to start staring her down wondering why the woman behind the glass wasn't behind the counter trying to help them with their banking needs. They didn't care if her official title was secretary to the president of the bank, they wanted to make deposits and go get lunch. She looked up as the door opened and her co-worker and fellow agent Rebecca Catalina entered and closed the door and leaned on it.

"Intel was not damaged and main office is pleased!" Rebecca walked forward and leaned over Riza's desk and chuckled. "You know, that lip looks like you got smacked around by your husband."

Riza shook her head and felt her lip. "I know. Roy wasn't sold on the file cabinet story either."

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Yeah, must be hard being married to a brilliant man."

Riza sighed. "I hate lying to him. He thinks something is wrong, he was all over me this morning. He's worried something is going on that he doesn't know of."

"Mmm...really must be awful being married to a horny, handsome brilliant man."

"Becky, I'm being serious here. It's been weird lately. He's staying up late working, comes to bed at 3 am...I feel like he's avoiding me."

"Probably thinks your having an affair." She shrugged.

"That's not funny."

"You've been clocking a lot of overtime Riza, a LOT. Kind of hard to explain that around bankers hours." Rebecca sat on the desk. "Then last weekend we had to go out to East City to 'supervise the transfer to the eastern branch'. Even if we have great cover stories, about all men seem to see is that we're not there with them."

Riza narrowed her eyes. "So Jean is getting suspicious as well?"

"Yes, Mr. Havoc is smoking about three packs a day right now. So I'm thinking he's either going to die of heartbreak or lung cancer before I can ever get him in bed again."

"Please tell me we don't have another assignment." Riza replied. "I really need to spend time with Roy before he starts jumping to conclusions."

"Nothing on our plate at the moment." Rebecca smirked. "So planning some romantic topless dinner? Maybe let him doodle naughty transmutation circles on your chest?"

"Becky, really?"

"It's been a while. Jean's been working nights!" Rebecca growled.

"So, did the cleaning crew take care of that agent I left in the sewer?" Riza asked remembering she had to leave the spy's body lying down there in order to get home by five thirty. It took three showers with industrial strength shampoo to get that sewer smell out of her hair.

"Yup, she's been taken care off. Though they left the blood splatter on the walls down there to spook the kids and hobos that seem to be wandering the sewers these days. Not sure I want to know why that's even an option." Rebecca chuckled. "You really said you walked into a file cabinet?"

"I slipped up, I meant to say safe deposit box." Riza admitted.

"No wonder he thinks you're cheating on him. Who the hell has six foot tall filing cabinets in this building?" Rebecca sighed. "I guess the question is who do I give a tall file cabinet to in this building?"

"Any leads on how that information was compromised?"

"No, we're pretty sure it's really high up in the chain of command. Grumman said he's handling it himself." Rebecca watched Riza fade off, clearly deep in thought and knew the conversation was over. She figured it was best to excuse herself and go get lunch.

Riza nodded. That would be something her grandfather would take personally, something like that happening right under his nose in Central Command. She wondered how many of the top brass realized that the eccentric and paternal old man was really in charge of the countries secret intelligence agency. She remembered the day he had visited her at the academy and recruited her for the job she currently had. She was more relieved that his bizarre stash of womens clothes was for undercover work and not personal use, but also proud of her Grandpa for not only being one of the countries highest ranking Generals but also the head of it's efficient and unheard of espionage division.

She looked at the picture of her and Roy that she had on their desk. Grandpa had been thrilled that she married the boy who had spent his youth holed up in her father's study devouring manuscripts and books and mastering a dangerous art so young. It was the perfect cover and Roy was a really promising alchemist who could have a political career if he ever chose to pursue it. However Roy's assignment to the academy had stymied his ambition and he seemed to get way too comfortable behind a desk occasionally turning out some brilliant research just in time for his re-certification. She knew he was bored. She would be too if she didn't have an entirely separate life as a spy. She wondered if it was her fault, that her desperate need to keep a perfect cover had killed his desire to move into the spotlight. She might be able to kill an enemy spy with a snap shot in a dark and disgusting sewer, but when it came to Riza Mustang the domestic goddess she was boring as hell.

She missed him. Missed _them_. She made a habit of never interrupting him when he was in his study, alchemists were notoriously very intense when working, however it might be worth breaking that rule just once. Yes, she could give him something better to look at than books and get any doubts out of his head with one spontaneous act. It was time to put some of her spy skills to use at home.


	2. Orientation

_Covert Affairs_

Chapter 2

**Orientation**

* * *

Roy played with the straw in his drink as Maes managed to pull out yet another picture of his daughter.

"And this one! Doesn't this make her look even CUTER!?" Maes waved the picture in front of his best friend and then quickly turned on Ed who was already sitting behind a stack of pictures on the other side of the table. "The most adorable little girl you've ever seen right!?"

"Who is this guy again?" Ed asked as Roy rolled up a piece of straw paper cover and put it in his straw, then shot him between the eyes with it. "GOD DAMMIT MUSTANG!"

Maes chuckled. "You'd make a great father Roy. Hey, you and Riza should come over Friday and see how much Elicia has grown! Maybe start thinking about little ones yourself, eh?"

"I have plans already." Roy said and looked to Ed who was still grumbling. "Lt. Colonel Hughes is with Military intelligence."

"Not much intelligence on that side of the table as far as I'm concerned." Ed growled.

Hughes cocked an eyebrow. "You should come meet my beautiful Gracia and Elicia!"

"What? I don't even know you!"

"You have to be homesick!" Maes smiled. "Some good home cooking might change your mind about that! I remember the food from my time as a cadet, it was...creative."

"Well..."Ed narrowed his eyes at Mustang. "What exactly are you trying to pull here?"

"You said you wanted help with your certification." Roy said dryly. "Here it is. Colonel Hughes is going to help you with the field work portion of your exam."

"What? Really?"

Maes wondered why Roy was dragging his heels on this one. It had been him after all who brought the kid into the academy, why was he suddenly having second thoughts? "You sort of recommended him, you have to sign off on it too."

Ed saw that weird look on Mustang's face again. Like he was guilty of something. "What exactly is this about? Am I getting certified or expelled?"

"We can't talk here." Maes elbowed Roy and made him get his brooding ass out of the way so he could get out of the booth. "So tell me, have you been keeping up with the news recently?"

"Yeah, how can I not? My brother is out wandering around Central while I'm in class learning nothing. Bombs going off around town, I worry he just might be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Ed wondered why Mustang wasn't saying anything. This had a really weird feeling about it. Like all those kidnapping radio PSAs he had been subjected to as a kid.

Roy threw some money on the table and reached for his black coat as Ed shot him another look. Well, he was definitely observant even if he was still naïve and rude as hell. He followed them out of the cafe and to the pawn shop next door that was a safe house and drop station. He looked at the man behind the counter and asked "Are we secure?"

"Yes sir, we are." Came the reply from the agent behind the counter. A grizzled old perverted sergeant who seemed to enjoy his job sitting on ass in a dusty old pawn shop reading used pornography. "Got some new tentacle porn in for you Mustang."

Roy glared at him as the man chuckled and Ed gasped. "Sargent McClellan, I look forward to the day when I get orders to retire you... _permanently_."

Maes opened up an atlas on the counter and pushed it to Ed. "Look Ed, our country is currently under attack from an enemy we can never see until it's too damned late. Creta has openly embraced their terrorists plots to keep us off balance and prevent us from starting a war with them. Sadly, until we can eliminate these threats the public will never back a war that takes our soldiers from home defense and puts them on the offensive."

"Ok." Ed inched closer to Hughes who seemed to be the least perverted man in the room. "Thanks for the lesson on current events."

Roy spoke up. "Colonel Hughes and I are part of our government's anti-terrorism agency. We work undercover to try and get ahead of these threats and when we can't...we try to make sense of the destruction to prevent it from happening again. What you hear about in the news is a small percentage of what actually happens. So to answer your question from earlier, we're trying to recruit you into our agency to work with us in order to put a stop to these unethical and horrible attacks. Unfortunately it means taking on a secret life and never being able to tell anyone you care for what you really do for a living."

Ed raised his eyebrows. "You want me to be a spy?"

"God no," Roy snorted. "That kind of shit only exists in fiction. You think we have a bunch of hot women running around in the shadows slitting throats and trading secrets? How naive are you?"

"I have one of those comics if you're interested." McClellan held up the hentai.

"Shut up Sergeant." Roy snapped. "One more word out of you and I burn that hand of yours so bad you'll slough skin off if you try to masturbate with it."

"Wow, they really don't like each other." Ed said and Hughes smiled.

"He's an irritating old man. " Maes said. "Ed, it's something you have to really think about. Roy and I...we have to lead double lives. It's taxing and it can be a bit overwhelming on top of the already difficult job we're tasked with. I have to go home and lie to my wife and tell her I sat behind my desk all day and did paperwork when I was actually picking through bodies looking for the suicide bomber who killed three families and a dozen soldiers returning home from the front. It is not a job anyone wants, but it has to be done."

"So...you aren't really going to help me get my certification? You just want me to help with the bomb squad?" Ed asked and saw Mustang lean over a counter and pull out a tray of jewelry.

"No," Roy picked up a nice looking necklace and inspected it to determine if it was fake or a genuine article. "I'll get you in for your test tomorrow if you're ready. I can't have you commissioned and assigned to our unit if you're a cadet. However you do need to maintain your cover as a student so we can keep you close and a part of this team in Central."

"Sleeping on the couch are we?" McClellan asked as he saw Mustang picking out jewelry.

"Pity to waste this on your eyes, Sargent."

"I'm in." Ed said.

"Try to mull over the life altering decision, Edward." Roy put the tray back and pocketed the necklace. "It's not something you can go back and change. You're in this for life."

"Why would I go back on this? I want to protect my friends and family. Why wouldn't I help do that?" Ed asked.

Maes replied softly. "Because you can never be yourself with them again."

"I'm here to become an alchemist to get my brother's body back. I'll join your secret team if it means I can stop other people from losing their families."

"Well in that case," Roy stood and grabbed the brown bag that McClellan was offering to him. Whatever intel they were receiving would be inside the degenerate hentai the bastard was pretending to sell him. "We have work to do."

"Already?" Ed asked

"Yup." Maes said. "Time to get your feet wet...literally. Unfortunately that means we're going down into the sewer system to inspect a mess some hobo stumbled on."

"Also means you need to take Colonel Hughes up on Friday night dinner and I need to change my plans with my wife." Roy sighed. "So we can bring you up to date on what's going on."

"Ok, so it's making sense now." Ed said. "I mean, I couldn't imagine an asshole like you really being married to a real woman. It's some cover right? I mean to look like a normal guy?"

"No." Roy snapped. "I'm _really_ married."

"How? Your people skills suck!"

"I like the kid!" McClellan leaned back in his chair and smiled.

"Nobody asked you." Roy glared at him.

"I also thought I couldn't do anything to help unless I was commissioned already." Ed reminded him.

"Well, you've got a good memory." Maes said impressed. "This is just a routine investigation into something suspicious. Nothing anyone can't just jump down a manhole and look at."

"I want to make sure you won't wuss out on us at the sight of blood." Roy said. "Make you really consider what you're getting into. Someone was executed down there and it's mild compared to what we deal with on a daily basis."

"What's in the bag?" Ed asked.

"Intel." Roy said as the Sergeant chuckled behind him. "Not...another...word."

"For his eyes only." McClellan smirked and winked at the poor kid.

"I feel dirty already and I haven't even been in the sewers yet." Ed grumbled.

* * *

Riza smiled at her grandfather as he reiterated the story of how he walked in on Brigadier General Whitman molesting his secretary and how the man ended up with a broken wrist, shattered office chair and a rather obese and sweaty man as his new secretary. "Well the Whitmans have always been rather...promiscuous."

"That might put a stop to that for a while." Grumman smirked. "So, how is work?"

"Getting a little tired of all the personal assignments I have to handle." She put a spoonful of sugar in her tea. "Wish they'd hire some help."

"Oh?" Grumman raised his eyebrows. He was surprised she seemed to be wearing down, but he imagined it had more to do with not being home than being burnt out. "What's Roy been doing with himself? I hear he's nobody's favorite teacher at the academy unless you're a hapless teenage girl looking to daydream."

"He must be working on some research, he's been really focused recently."

"Nothing I'm aware of." Grumann smiled and chuckled. "Maybe you should ask him?"

"Works been..." She looked up at him and saw the sympathy. "Keeping me away."

"I know, you two should come to that stupid party they're having." Grumman pretended to have to think about it. "General whats his name is retiring."

She nodded and sipped her tea. So he was calling in help on this one? She looked at his twinkling eyes and wondered if he had a lead on the leak or if he was hoping some wine would loosen some tongues. "That might be nice. I haven't seen Roy in a tux in a while."

"I'll get you an invite!" He leaned closer and chuckled. "Generals don't retire everyday, maybe if Roy is a little more interested in something other than the library I can push for him to get a more prestigious post."

"It's all paperwork to him. It's all he really sees anymore." She said sadly. It seemed like as soon as he got his Colonel's stars that he was happy to just turn around and accept the teaching job and rot away in Central. Five years ago it had been the State Alchemists who had stepped in and crushed an uprising in Ishval after the intelligence division traced weapons back to Aeurgo. It was a quick move preventing what had seemed like an attempt to start a campaign to wipe out an entire culture. Roy seemed rather critical of the chain of events that set the military's sites on Ishval, but highly suspicious of the events that turned their eyes to the South to blame someone else. Roy came out of that minor conflict with two promotions, then came home to her and settled down. A little too settled. She didn't know what happened out there to make him so happy to just make a life in Central. She could only suspect it was his flame alchemy and it's use in dealing with the enemy that left him unwilling to press for further promotion. She had been in training while he was away and couldn't maintain contact without getting kicked out of spy school. He came home and proposed, she said yes and pretended to quit the military. However now her grandfather was instructing her to renew his interest and try to push for an opening in Central HQ. She didn't want him involved though, if he had any interest in doing more than teaching than he would have already pursued it.

"Well, just mention it." Grumman knew she was hesitant to ask her husband to get off his ass and do more than hide behind textbooks but with a war coming he needed someone else in Central he could trust. "Does he even practice his alchemy anymore?"

"Lights candles...the fireplace." She shrugged. "Mainly interested in teaching now."

"Humpf." Grumman wondered where the hell the ambition went.

* * *

Another shot ricocheted off the stone walls of the sewer system under the streets of Central. Roy glared at Maes. "Simple crime scene investigation, huh?"

Maes shrugged and checked his pockets for some coins he could hand Ed who was hastily trying to construct a mirror to give Roy a view around the corner. With gas lines and sewer gas present, his attack would have to be extremely precise in order to avoid blowing them up. "Well apparently not Roy. Sorry."

"No wonder you two need help." Ed mumbled and sorted out the coins and hoped he had enough to make a simple reflective device. "After this however, you better get me into that exam first thing in the morning. Not getting shot at and blown up if I can't leave my brother a death benefit."

"That from the fourteen year old." Roy mumbled and pressed his back against the wall his hand poised to snap and send a line of fire as soon as the kid followed through with his part. He eyed the oily film on the top of the nasty sewer water and knew the run off from the cars in the street would ignite all too easily. He had to be very careful with his next move. "Any day now Ed."

"Shut it Mustang. I don't see you doing anything but standing there posing like a centerfold." Ed looked up at him remembering what he lifted from the pawn shop. "Still have that necklace? I think a little silver might do the trick."

"That...is for my wife."

"Don't be a dick. Buy her something nice instead of stealing it from some geriatric pervert's pawn shop."

Maes shrugged. "He has a point."

"Fine." Roy reached in his pocket and threw the necklace at him. He watched the blond teenager craft a mirror out of pocket change and stolen pendant.

Maes grinned and took the mirror. "Nice work!"

"Thanks. Glad I could be here to save your asses."

Roy smirked. "Why don't you hold it and wade out there so the enemy can shoot at you while I target them?"

"You do it." Ed came back. "With all the shit that comes out of your mouth I bet you'd be camouflaged pretty well."

Maes chuckled. "Really sad that I'm looking forward to you two working together. You should have your own comedy hour on the radio."

Roy waited for Maes to toss the reflective plate into the main channel and focused on the muzzle flash before snapping his fingers. He smiled as he heard the cursing, signifying he hit his mark.

Maes leaned out into the main causeway and saw the smoldering fabric in the dim sewer only lit by their dropped flashlights and fired three times before hearing the body hit the water.

"So much for asking questions." Ed said and watched both men look down at him. "What? We just kill everyone?"

"Either this is a Cretian looking to blow someone up or a spy from Drachma with a cyanide pill already clenched in his teeth." Roy informed him. "Either way there was no talking and he was probably trying to take one of us out with him."

"Right." Ed nodded.

"First day Roy, cut him some slack." Maes said and reached for his flashlight to ensure there were no other people lurking in the dark before he gave the all clear to emerge from their alcove.

"Not when slack gets you killed faster." Roy responded and prepared to back up his partner as they advanced on their attacker. "Stay here Ed."

"Right." Ed nodded and realized there was a lot about this job he didn't consider.

Maes reached over and pulled the body by the pant leg closer to them. "Drachma."

"Think this has something to do with that blood splatter?" Roy asked and looked at the reason they were down here. It looked like some unlucky individual had the back of their head shot off.

"Now we have to worry about them using the sewers as a mode of transportation under the city?" Maes pulled the body back to the alcove where they had entered. He forgot Ed was waiting on them and saw his wide eyes before he could rethink it.

Roy sniffed his glove and realized the nasty sewer stench was probably already ingrained in the clothing and hair and not just their sinus passages. He looked up as Ed stood blocking their path. He cleared his throat. "Can you take care of this Maes? I think Ed and I need to get to the safe house and get cleaned up before we go back to society smelling like a septic system."

"Mind calling in for me?" He asked. He wanted to spend a little time alone down here looking for clues and he wasn't all too keen on the idea of dragging the corpse up those stairs by himself. Let the cleaning crew handle it, they'd dismember the body and pack it out in no time.

"Not at all." He tried to sound chipper as he grabbed Ed's jacket and pulled him towards the ladder that would take them back up to street level. "Lets go kid, time to find out what alchemy has done to advance the science of odor killing shampoo and soap."

Maes looked down at the body as they left. He narrowed his eyes at the mess on the other wall. What the hell were they going to do to stop people who acted like sewer rats from infiltrating the city?


	3. Dirty Little Secret

_Covert Affairs_

Chapter 3

**Dirty Little Secrets**

* * *

Rebecca trotted across the street and caught up with Riza. She bumped the other woman with her arm and smiled. "How was lunch with Grandpa?"

Riza looked around as they walked their way back to the bank and determined there was nobody close enough to overhear her. "He's asked me to go to the retirement party this weekend. I guess he's reached a dead end on his investigation into the leak."

"Hmm..." Rebecca smirked. "Roy in a tux, huh?"

Riza let a smile touch her lips in a rare display of girlish glee. She couldn't help it. "Yeah, I'm not too upset about that."

"So, you need backup?"

"I think an room full of old Generals and politicians will be something I can handle. You should take the night off."

"Thank God." Rebecca breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she really could spend some time with her boyfriend before she was an old shrew.

Riza stopped as they walked past the local dress shop. She looked in the window and thought about how much she was really looking forward to spending some time with her husband. It had been tense recently, with one of them always working overtime it was hard to see each other. Whatever he was working on had him focused and she knew the only way to get his attention was to give him something else to obsess on. "I'll meet you back at work."

Rebecca knew what the other woman was thinking. "Lucky man."

Riza blushed as her friend chuckled and left her to go into the store by herself. It was silly that she could still be embarrassed by something so simple as buying sexy lingerie to surprise the man she married, especially considering some of the rather risque outfits she had to wear in the line of duty. However this wasn't just clothing when it came to him, it was something special. He'd understand that as soon as he set his eyes on her wearing it, which would be two seconds before his brain stopped functioning and he pounced her. She blushed a little more. Yes, it really had been a bad month and she wanted to make up for it. She smiled at the clerk and walked back to the other room where the 'unmentionables' were and picked out something that would get his nose out of the books.

* * *

Roy Mustang was rarely surprised by things that crossed his desk these days. Between the incoherent ramblings of students, reports of terrorist acts and incredible advances in alchemy he had seen quite a bit. However he was always surprised by how vast the world of sexual fetishes were and how easily Sergeant Dan McClellan could find these hentai books to add to the collection in the pawn shop. He knew the old pervert did it on purpose just to see if he could finally find something so depraved that even the Flame Alchemist would refuse to decipher it. Tonight was not that night, however he had to say if he ever read the phrase 'automail penis' again he was probably going to wash his eyes out with soap.

There was a very light squeak that broke quiet of the night that was barely distinguishable above the monotonous ticking of the clock. Roy stopped his decoding and froze. He held his breathe and listened while his eyes scanned his study. He waited to see if he was just imagining things or his tired mind was telling him to just give up and go to bed. He sat there still as a statue for at least two minutes with his pencil poised on his notebook, his shallow breaths the only thing he could hear besides the ticking of the clock. His eyes drifted to said clock and he determined that 2am was probably late enough and he should call it a night. He rubbed his weary eyes and bent down and opened the safe that was integrated into his desk.

Riza smiled like a child sneaking downstairs on Christmas morning as she slipped into the study without being heard. She was careful to avoid the squeaky board and happy that the graphite worked its magic on those squeaky hinges. Her eyes locked into the hunched form of her husband opening his safe and his hand reach up on the desk for a notebook to store it away for the evening. She pulled the string on her sheer robe and let it billow behind her as she finally used her stealth spy skills for something fun. She almost couldn't control her breathing she was so excited and she knew there was an mischievous grin plastered on her face. She tip toed to his desk and smiled as she imagined his face when he looked up and saw the lingerie she was wearing. The thoughts of what would come after started to tingle other places. She stood there for a moment and waited. Then another. Apparently he was going to take his sweet ass time reorganizing his safe tonight while she stood there half naked waiting to surprise him. She looked down at a brown paper bag setting on the floor and knocked it over with her foot to alert him to her presence.

Roy almost jumped out of his skin as he heard the bag from the pawn shop tip over. He sat up and stared at the most amazing sight: his beautiful wife standing there wearing sexy black lingerie and a sheer robe. His heart stopped and for a moment it was perfect: Her beautiful eyes glistening with lust, a mischievous grin gracing her lips, her blond hair cascading over her shoulders and her muscular and perfect body wrapped up in a sheer fabric and some tantalizing silk and lace neglige. His heart began to pound and and at that moment he thanked God that he was such a lucky man. Then he watched her eyes drift down and her smile fade as she realized there was a magazine with a schoolgirl being raped by a tentacle monster on the floor. Right then he wanted to ask God what the hell he ever did to him to deserve this.

Riza had encountered many surprising things in her career, most of which she didn't react to. This however, was not one of them. She felt the smile melt off her face and be replaced by a scowl as her eyes locked on to a pile of hentai doujinshi on the floor of her husband's study. She looked up at him and saw it on his face: the shock, panic and embarrassment of a man caught doing something perverse and downright stupid.

Roy felt like he had sucked all the oxygen out of the room with his alchemy, but he knew it was simply with his own negligence. Why the hell did he put that bag there? "Riza, I can explain."

She bent down and picked up the top comic with the octopus and a crying adolescent schoolgirl. She felt her jaw clench and stood up. "Really? This is what you're doing down here all night while I'm waiting for you in our bed?"

Roy swallowed hard and tried to come up with any reason why he would have porn in his study that wouldn't make him look like a pervert. Unfortunately right now she wouldn't even believe him if he told her the truth: that their government used hentai to pass information around the country about terrorist attacks and he was one of the few mentally capable of deciphering it thanks to his intelligence. Intelligence that was clearly not part of the equation when he put that bag there four hours ago. "I...well..."

"God Roy really? Seafood and teenage girls is what gets you off? This is why you've been avoiding me?"

He wished he could say he confiscated it from a student but he knew there was an open book on his desk that involved an automail enhanced man and a meek nurse. He watched her rage grow and he knew he had to say something. He finally blurted out, "A habit I picked up during the war."

She watched his sad brown eyes beg for forgiveness as he finally overcame his panic. Usually she maintained her calm no matter what but standing there in front of him after being so excited all day to walk in wearing the damned lingerie she knew he'd go wild over, she was just going to be his pissed off wife. "Burn it."

He blinked at her. Well this just got worse by the minute! He hadn't even finished decoding the one on his desk more or less thought about the ones in the bag. That intel would be lost if he caved in. He better get a damned medal for this someday. He painfully uttered the words " I can't"

"You can't?" She snapped and threw the book at him. "Or won't?"

"Riza..."

"Save it Roy." She finally spun around and marched out of his study and went to change into something else. What the hell happened? When did she lose her husband to a porn addiction? She felt about ready to cry. Her! Hawkeye, the country's best spy was blindsided by her own husband's fetish. How the hell didn't she see this?

He closed his eyes. He didn't even know how to begin to make up for this. All he knew was that the only way out of this now was to pretend to be a closet pervert and ask his wife's forgiveness. He gathered up the damned books and locked them up in his safe then turned out the light and took a deep breathe before walking upstairs to admit he was something he wasn't. Now was the time to recall all those memories of the degenerates that frequented Madam Christmas's establishment and try to channel their depraved and desperate personas. Ugh. That only made him feel worse knowing he was going to pretend to be one of those low lifes and convince his wife he was just that.

Riza threw the stupid robe off as she walked into her bedroom and quickly wiggled out of the lingerie and kicked it into the corner. She slipped into something more comfortable and could help but ask herself where the hell she went wrong. How exactly did they get to this point in their marriage where her husband had to hide in his study and look at sex with sushi in order to get off? Especially when she was up here and would have loved to have some attention! She knew he was on his way up here and didn't want to be crying when he arrived so she tried her best to be the professional agent in her own home. Something she never wanted to do.

Roy cautiously peaked into his bedroom as he watched her put a shirt on and jump into bed. He wasn't really sure how to go about admitting to something like this. He sure as hell didn't want to see the hurt on her face either. However there was really only one way out of this and he stepped forward and watched her flip over and give him the cold shoulder. "Riza, can you let me try and explain?"

"I think I can figure it out without hearing you tell me you prefer what you see in that comic to what you have here in this bed with me."

He felt like the wind had been kicked out of him as those words cut deep. It would do no good to tell her that she was the only woman he needed. He was just going to blame this on the war, it was the easiest excuse. Just blame it on being lonely and leave it at that. "Look when I was away in Ishval ...I just needed something to keep my mind off how damned much I missed you. Well, it's not like there is a huge selection of adult reading materials when you're at war and you sort of just take what you can get."

She sat up in bed. "What's your excuse now? Now that you have a wife waiting for you to come to bed?!"

He could see tears welling in her eyes and hated himself for creating this situation. Bad enough he lied about what he was doing, but now he was lying about something worse to cover it all up. "Just became an addiction."

"So I'm not enough for you anymore?"

He walked to the bed and fell to his knees beside her. "Please don't think that. Riza I love you, you know that."

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you Roy." She looked at him and saw the apologetic eyes. "The war was five years ago!"

"I've been stressed at work and..." God this was never going to end. "I'm sorry. I can't say that enough Riza."

"I don't even want to look at you right now." She felt the tears at the corner of her eyes and shook her head. "Go back to your study and enjoy sleeping with your books tonight."

He watched her pull the blankets up and her head hit the pillow to end the conversation. How could he expect her to understand, she had no idea the kind of world they really lived in. She had no idea the things he did to protect her and his country and it would stay that way. He stood and went back to his study to think about his new addiction and how he was going to sell that lie. Dammit. Work wasn't supposed to spill over to home, he was getting sloppy. He should have just stayed at work and written it off as another late night doing research! Well what was done was done and tomorrow he was going to have to start a new life as Roy Mustang the pervert porn addict.

* * *

Roy leaned back in the uncomfortable chair and stared at the ceiling as Maes cackled and slapped his hand on his desk . "Thanks for the support, buddy."

Maes wiped tears away. "If it was me, you would have already peed your pants laughing."

"Well, now you're an accomplice because I'm sure she's going to ask you about the war and my dirty little secret."

Maes started to laugh again. "You really went up and confessed to being an addict? Seriously?"

"She thinks I want to fuck fish, Maes! This isn't funny!"

"It is Roy, it really is." He started to laugh again and tried to collect himself. "And you're supposed to be good with women!"

Roy was so tired he couldn't really think straight anymore. The morning hours had been spent developing a timeline for his back story. Then he tried to come up with some sort of plan for "rehab" and ended up with a dead end. Mainly because sex with his wife was no longer an option. "I need your help coming up with a damage control plan."

"You should ask Sergeant McClellan! You can be his apprentice! I bet this is how he started down his road to being a pervert bridge troll guarding the pawn shop on Broad street."

Roy ground his teeth. Well that was over the line. Comparing him to that disgusting bastard who was as much at fault for all this as anyone. The option was there for something simple as a standard porno that he could have easily explained away as 'inspiration' but tentacle sex was something nobody could explain. Probably ever. "Really? This is my wife Maes! Not some undercover agent. My wife! Think about how devastated Gracia would be if this was you!"

Maes quit laughing and thought about it. "Well...since you put it that way..."

"Not funny anymore is it?" Roy rubbed his face and moaned. "I don't even know what I was confessing to last night. "

"We can fix this." Maes said and watched his best friend tilt his head forward and glare at him. "Or at least try to curb the damage."

"I think finding the philosopher's stone would be a more realistic goal." Roy shook his head and let his head fall back over the top of the chair so he could stair at the tin ceiling tiles.

"Look, send some flowers. Did you tell her about dinner at my house tonight?"

"No, I was too busy destroying my marriage."

"Ok, well it will be perfect then. A dinner with friends might make things easier than you two sitting alone in your kitchen listening to the plaster crack. "

"Sounds...reasonable." Roy stared at the blades of the ceiling fan wishing the damned thing would fall and end his miserable existence.

"How about counseling?" Maes suggested.

"For a problem I don't have?" Roy sat up and stared at his friend. "Oh and never mind the repercussions when it ends up on my record and gets me fired because I work with kids for a living!"

"Yeah, that would be bad." Maes shrugged. "Want me to talk to her?"

"No. That's so much worse." Roy changed the pitch of his voice to mimic Maes and said "So Sorry Riza, let me show you pictures of his road to dispair! Oh the academy, those were the automail fetish years! Look at this picture we took back in Ishval, he was wanking to midget porn back then! That's why he looks so tired!"

Maes thought about it. "I could be really convincing. Tell her some heart wrenching story about how I had to pry you away from your magazines as you sat hunched in the corner of your tent refusing to go to work. I could sell it."

"It's embarrassing enough for her. " He sat up and ran his hands through his hair. "She's probably sitting at her desk at work trying to not cry. Betrayed and hurt, trying to pretend to work on allocation reports and not see the image burned into her retina of a little girl being probed by tentacles!"

* * *

"Wow." Rebecca tried to get her head around all of that. "That really makes the smoking look like a virtue. I think I'll buy Jean a carton when I get home."

Riza shook her head. She was glad she had a friend to confide in but some things she never really wanted to have to talk about. However she had to clear her mind of it all before she repelled down the side of this abandoned building and into the former warehouse office space below. Last thing she needed to be thinking about was a slimy squid when she was supposed to be eliminating the support staff for the spies they had been slowly killing off in the sewer system.. "All I can think about is that somehow it's my fault for neglecting him. This isn't the man I married."

"Apparently it is. He said this went back to Ishval?"

Riza still couldn't believe any of this. She read people like a book, it's what she did for a living! How could she not see him so unhappy that he'd resort to reading that crap! The answer was clear as day, she couldn't see it because she was hardly ever home anymore. "We need a new recruit. Handling everything ourselves is getting to be ridiculous."

"Did you check his safe this morning?" Rebecca knew the answer, of course she did.

"Empty." Riza was more concerned that his safe was a little more difficult to crack as it was a more advanced model and military grade. Something she dismissed as probably something he ordered through work. He was still a state alchemist and a Colonel in the military, they would give him whatever he asked for.

"I bet the make up sex is going to be heavenly." Rebecca watched those eyes dart to her behind the ski mask and shrugged. "What? It's not like you're going to be pissed forever. You love the guy."

"I'll keep that in mind when I'm murdering people down there." She checked her gun and made sure the silence was screwed on tight. "I'm ready when you are."

* * *

Ed dangled his new pocket watch in front of Mustang's face. "Maybe now I can get some respect around here!"

"I'm sure the other members of the lollipop guild will be thrilled to welcome you as their Mayor." Roy mumbled and stood up from the park bench in Central command's courtyard as Maes chuckled.

"Ed, probably best you don't push the Colonel too far today. He gets cranky when he doesn't sleep." Maes pulled the kid back to the bench and made him sit down. "That was a pretty quick exam. I thought it took weeks to process everything."

Roy jumped to attention as he heard a chuckle behind him and looked to see their Furhur approach. "Sir!"

"At ease Colonel." Furhur King Bradley smiled as he handed the young man his certificate. "I wanted to personally deliver this considering you were so kind to show me the weakness of my security staff. Congratulations, Edward Elric."

Roy made a mental note to ask exactly what the dumb shit did to get that comment. He however wasn't going to bring it up in front of Bradley.

"Fullmetal Alchemist." Ed beamed as he read the certificate. "Thank you sir!"

"Well done Colonel Mustang, I'm impressed with your find." Bradley smiled and nodded his goodbye. "Keep up the good work gentlemen."

Roy looked over at the young man checking out his new pocket watch and beaming like an idiot. "So, what did you do to earn that title?"

"I tried to kill him." Ed said and looked up as both men seemed to pale. "What? He was just standing there what was I supposed to do, kiss his ass?"

"Yes." Roy replied with a growl. "It's customary to do a little ass kissing in a job interview, not try and assassinate the leader of our country."

"Well it worked." Ed showed him his watch and stuck out his tongue. "So kiss _my_ ass Mustang!"

Roy stepped over to where he was sitting on the bench so he could look down at him and make sure that the kid was in his shadow for added dramatic effect. "Welcome to the military Major Elric. As of right now, you're no longer some smart-assed student. You're an officer in our army, a state alchemist, a member of my team and also my subordinate. Welcome to adulthood, now put your watch away and start acting like a big boy because I have no problems kicking your ass to the curb and leaving you with nothing but that smart assed mouth of yours to make a living. Trust me, in Central that's not a pretty option."

"You really do need your beauty sleep don't you?" Ed mumbled and put his watch away.

"I report directly to the Furhur." Roy informed him. "I pushed for this exam this morning and you waltzed in there and tried to kill him. So, how do you think that reflects upon me?"

Maes nudged the young man and whispered. "Just say thank you so we can meet the others, huh?"

"Thanks." Ed said and watched Mustang roll his eyes. He looked up as two men approached. One kinda slimy looking and the other smoking like a chimney.

"Gang's all here." Maes mumbled.

"Fullmetal, this is our night crew. Lt Jean Havoc and Lt. Colonel Solf Kimblee." Roy watched Kimblee smirk, ready to crack a joke about the new kid already. "Gentleman, Major Edward Elric, the recently christened Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Recently christened is right." Kimblee chuckled. "You even cut the umbilical cord yet Mustang?"

Havoc gave the kid a salute and knocked some ash from his cigarette. "Well Chief, I hope this means I get a reprieve from babysitting him."

Kimblee rolled his eyes as the man blew smoke in his direction. He smirked at the hostile little kid and looked up at Roy. "He's got your scowl, but his Mom's hair. Where you been keeping the brat all these years? Boarding school?"

"He's not my kid." Roy snapped.

Kimblee chuckled as both the kid and Mustang shot him the same nasty look. "Sure. So let me guess you want me to show him the ropes?"

"Run him through orientation tonight." Roy instructed. "Havoc, I'm trusting you with Ed."

"Don't trust me?" Kimblee asked.

"Of course not." Roy hissed. "Bad enough I just employed a teenager, I'm not leaving him in the care of a high functioning sociopath."

"I thought I was going to dinner tonight and getting real food." Ed said. He was looking forward to that after it was dangled in front of his eyes and Al seemed pretty excited to meet the teacher he was always bitching about.

Roy forgot about that. Damned Hughes and his need to invite everyone over to his house! He stood there and debated about whether or not he wanted to have the distraction of the Elrics at dinner or the awkward silence for company if it was him and Riza watching Maes's perfect family interact. Then again she might not even want to come with him. Well it was already set in motion so why not go with it. "No, you should go to dinner. It will make it easier for Hughes to explain why you disappear for half the night and give your brother somewhere to stay where you don't have to worry about him."

"Easier for me to explain?" Maes asked.

"You'll come up with something." Roy assured him.

"Like what? Alchemist initiation party?" Maes asked and watched Roy shrug.

"It's not a lie." Kimblee chimed in and winked at the kid. "You can show me yours and I'll show you mine."

"Is there something in the water around here or is every adult such a pervert?" Ed asked as Kimblee flashed him the array drawn on his hands. Now he had some memories of those rape PSAs on the radio and that catchy song 'Don't pet the trouser snake'. He shuddered.

Roy frowned. If he only knew half of what was going on. "Havoc, you have my permission to shoot Kimblee if you need to."

"Define 'need'." Havoc mumbled and sighed knowing the man was only half serious.

"Wait..." Ed finally did the math. "When the hell do I sleep!?"

"Welcome to the glorious world of covert ops." Maes smiled. "Caffeine is your new best friend."

"Alright, dismissed." Mustang snapped. His mind had already moved on to the next task of convincing his wife to come have dinner with them. "Havoc, make sure Ed and his brother make it to Maes's for dinner, would you?"

"Yes sir." He sighed. He wished that someday someone would give a damn about him making it to his dinner date.

"Then disappear for a while and take that rather hyper girlfriend of yours out on a date. " Roy added and watched the man smile. Really he was more interested in giving Rebecca something to talk about at work. However Havoc seemed to think he was doing him a huge favor and he just gave the guy an encouraging smile.

Maes watched Ed cautiously leave with the night shift team and smiled when the kid decided to walk beside Havoc and not Kimblee. "By the way...when I had lunch with Gracia and Elicia today. I gave my loving wife, who still enjoys looking me in the eye, my paycheck."

"There are days when I really hate you Maes." Roy growled.

"Wait for it." Maes raise his finger and smiled. "My paycheck that she could deposit at the bank...that Riza works at...so she could invite her to the celebratory dinner we're having for your student. Not every day a kid becomes a State Alchemist and it would be a shame to let it go uncelebrated because his only family is his brother. Poor kids, without their parents..alone in this world. Oh and some other gossipy crap about how it's a huge feather in your cap for finding him, sponsoring him and blah blah."

Roy smiled. Of course this all happened a few hours before Ed even passed his exam, so it was more of a compliment that Maes also felt the kid was that good. Good enough to have his wife go ahead and plan a party before there was anything to even celebrate. "Thanks."

"I know, I'm not so bad at this am I?" Maes chuckled. "I mean who could possibly refuse my Gracia anything? Or Elicia..."

Roy's smile faded as the inevitable picture slideshow began. And now he was back to wanting to strangle him.


	4. Dinner Date

AN: Sorry for the delay in an update. Roy and Ed conversations take a certain mood to write. Sorry for the teaser at the end of the chapter as I really would love to write a sex scene but have no clue what Mature rating limits me to.

* * *

_Covert Affairs_

Chapter 4

**Dinner Date**

* * *

Roy yawned and rubbed the back of his neck as he walked into his bedroom and threw his keys, wallet and watch on the nightstand. He was home earlier than Riza and he figured it might be a nice time to take a short nap before she got home. Last thing he needed was to fall asleep at Maes's dinner party and have Fullmetal pull some childish prank while he was unconscious.

He unbuttoned his uniform jacket and threw it on the chair, then fell back on the bed and sighed. He wasn't really sure what was going to happen when his wife came home; _if _she came home. He wouldn't be surprised if she volunteered for some overtime just to have an excuse to not go to dinner with him. Sure Gracia had invited her and he had sent some flowers as a cliché apology but he didn't pick up the phone at all to talk to her. Just seemed like he should do his grovelling in person so he could confess to being a loser and disappointment and see the hurt in her eyes. Yup. He did love to torture himself.

Roy now wondered why he ever got married to begin with. Yes, he loved his wife but he knew damned well the life he was getting into and he was surprised it took this long to fuck up. If he really loved Riza, he would have left her alone and let her find a man who was actually worthy of her. _Yes, Master Hawkeye, not only did I use your flame alchemy to destroy people but I also destroyed your daughter's only hope for happiness by marrying her. _

He groaned and closed his eyes. It wasn't his job that made him hate himself, it was his real life that he couldn't live because of his job. Everything was a lie and he knew it would never end because he could never tell Riza the truth. There was nothing he wanted more in this world than to tell her the truth. Truth, truth, truth. All an alchemist ever seemed to really care about wasn't it? Well he did long for the truth, it was something he would wish for for his entire life but the cruel twist was that he was the one keeping it at bay. At every turn truth mocked him as he instead had to chose some fabrication in order to be the person his country needed him to be.

He unbuttoned his collar and thought back to the Ishval campaign were it all began. It didn't last long as he quickly gave in to sleep, exhausted from juggling his mental anguish,troubled marriage, chaotic undercover career and mundane teaching job.

* * *

_Ishval 208_

"Roy?" Maes stuck his head into the tent and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. Despite the horrible heat and blinding sun outside, the tent still maintained a little cool from the cold desert nights. Of course it was barely 9 am and that would quickly change. He stepped inside, lured in by the welcoming temperature in the canvas wall tent. "Roy, are you in here? We're going to be late."

Roy had every intention of getting dressed and going to breakfast this morning and pretending that his agenda for the day wasn't going to be filled with burning people alive. It almost worked until he put his white hooded cloak on and smelled the smoke and the faint, but lingering, smell of burnt hair and flesh. After that he sat down in the corner next to his field desk and left the hood on to remind himself of what a monster he was. That the smell was going to haunt him just like all those defenseless people he roasted with a snap of his fingers. "I'm here."

Maes looked at the hunched form of his best friend against the tent wall and inwardly groaned. His own nerves were shot and he was wearing down, it was becoming hard enough to convince himself to do his job without having to be Roy's crutch. "We have to go, you're already behind schedule."

"Late for the barbeque, shame on me."

Maes reached over and grabbed one of the alchemy books off the desk and then smacked him in the head with it. Roy responded with obscenities and looked up at him wondering what the hell he did that for. "Let's go."

Roy rubbed his head and Maes looked down at him clearly too worn out to talk him down off the ledge this morning. "Maes..."

"Roy, just do what you're told and when this is all over we both go home and start over." Maes bent down and picked up a picture of Riza that had fallen out of the book and looked at it. "Start a life with the women we love and put this behind us."

"Can you do that? Really just forget that you're a murderer and be selfish enough to start a happy family...ignoring that we destroyed so many families..." Roy didn't have time to react as that book cracked him in the forehead and knocked him over.

"Yes. And you will too." Maes said and bent down to hold the picture in front of his best friend's eyes. "Because she is waiting for you and you're going to not disappoint her."

"I already have by using her father's teachings to kill people..."

A voice from outside interrupted them, "Captain Hughes!"

Roy looked to the tent flap as he heard the young voice of one of the aides. It seemed to be a mixture of panic and excitement. He blinked as Maes put the picture in his hand and then pulled him to his feet. "Sorry, I'm failing you too."

Maes turned and braced himself to go back out into the desert sun and blinding light. He stepped out and shielded his eyes as an excited baby faced Lieutenant ran over to him. "What is it Lieutenant Dryor?"

"The Furhur is here! He requested to see you and Major Mustang immediately!"

Maes felt his heart stop. What would the leader of their country want with them? Did Kimblee report Roy for his mental instability? He turned as Roy emerged from the tent with his war face on. What the hell was going on?

"Let's not keep him waiting." Roy said and the Lieutenant jumped at the harsh tone and nodded before leading the way to the main command tent.

Maes narrowed his eyes at him and wished he could smack him in the head with the book one last time for making it sound like it wasn't _his_ fault they were running behind schedule. He followed behind Roy and scanned the camp to see if there was any indication of what this unannounced visit was about. Not that the military was in the habit of announcing the location of the Furhur, but usually someone knew the man was in this part of the country. He stopped as Lt. Dryor reached the large tent in camp and ducked in to announce them. Roy seemed cool and collected despite being borderline suicidal only ten minutes earlier, however he knew his best friend's stomach was in knots just like his.

"You can come in." The Lieutenant held the tent flap for them.

Roy entered the tent and immediately locked eyes with Kimblee who was standing there with his hands in his pockets. He glared at him, wondering if this all came about because of something he reported. Kimblee shrugged in reply to the hostile stare and went back to looking bored. There had been a few missions that required them to work together and share a tent on the front lines, he knew the other alchemist was all too aware of his nightmares and sleepless nights. Mainly because Solf beat the hell out of him with a pillow one night and called him a pussy for crying in his sleep and keeping him awake. Well two could play at that game. If he was trying to take him down, Roy was fully aware that the lunatic had to fake his psyche evaluation in order to even be part of society more or less a state alchemist. It wouldn't be petty revenge, it would be a service to humanity to get him decommissioned for it.

"Gentleman, thank you for joining us." Said a confident and steady voice from behind a passel of staff officers.

Roy turned and saw the Furhur emerge from a group. He snapped a salute and the man waved it off. Maes followed suit beside him. "Sir!"

"At ease." Bradley went over and eyed the young man who just about everyone sighed over. Be it the women who seemed to find him irresistible or the alchemists who were green with envy over his skills. He even had a few officers impressed with his tactical ability even though the conflict out here didn't require him to lead a military unit. Overall Mustang was regarded as one of the most promising officers the country had produced in years. He looked over at the man with glasses beside him, Captain Hughes, and saw the same intelligence behind those eyes. Clearly Mustang also had the charisma to attract others of merit as well. Overall a auspicious, but also dangerous officer. The kind of man who could easily leave the war a hero and be a rival in a few years. "What we are about to discuss we do in confidence."

Roy nodded and watched the Furhur turn towards a map sprawled across the field desk.

"This campaign to quell the rebellion here in Ishval has become a bit of a nuisance as our other enemies have taken it upon themselves to take advantage of it. Both Creta and Drachma have started a rather underhanded war against us to try and weaken our core while our backs are turned. Something...we need to address." Bradley turned to them. "This campaign is going to be coming to a close, very quickly. We have other concerns. Creta has already started destroying our train tracks and communication lines to West City from Central. They have agents in Central that have begun bombing our capital and causing people to question why we're fighting a war in the desert when our capital is under attack."

Maes wondered where he was going with this and why the three of them were privy to this information. "Sir, are we going to war with Creta?"

"No Captain Hughes, unfortunately we don't have any justification for it. They have not attacked us, these people destroying our railroads and telephone lines are not acknowledged by their government. Our citizens aren't even supportive of our actions here in the desert, they will not support a full scale war with Creta." Bradley said and watched for a reaction from Mustang and Hughes. He was curious if they both felt the same way as the populace. Neither did anything to indicate they were anything but loyal soldiers. He looked to Kimblee who seemed disappointed that there wasn't a reason to go tear up another country. That man was unstable, but still of use to him. "This is going to be a different kind of war. One Amestris will never know about, a war in the shadows. "

Roy cleared his throat. "Sir, are we being reassigned?"

"No Major, not quite yet. However as I said we are going to push this campaign to a very quick end and then refocus on defending our home. Once that happens I am going to create a new covert operation division that reports directly to me, one that nobody will know about but those of us involved. I would like for you to head up this unit and Major Kimblee and Captain Hughes to work with you."

Roy blinked. Well this was a long way from the court martial he was expecting. "Thank you sir, that's quite an honor."

"I'm telling you this now because we still have at least six months of this little insurrection to deal with and you three need to utilize that in order to become a finely honed team. Once you return to Central, you will have to accept roles that might not be the paths you intended to take with your careers in order to provide a good cover for your covert job you will be doing for me. It is essential that these terrorists do not know who they are up against. It means you will have to lie to your families and you will never be able to tell them what you actually do for a living. Any questions?"

"Yeah." Kimblee watched them all look to him. "We're a little destructive for Central don't you think?"

"I expect damage control." Bradley informed him. "So you have six months to work on that and learn to work together. This team will be our only defense against these people. So effective immediately Mustang, you're now a Lt Colonel and this is your new team."

xxxxxxxxx

Riza leaned against the door frame of their bedroom and looked at her husband passed out on their bed. She felt a pang of regret as she knew he wouldn't get a wink of sleep on the couch downstairs, but it was really the farthest thing from her mind last night. She was hurt and surprised and wanted to be alone. Now she was feeling a little more sensible and walked over to the handsome man lying on her bed and knew it wasn't entirely his fault. She should have been more attentive and aware of what was going on with him. It's not like he was cheating on her, it was anime sex comics for God's sake.

She sat down on the bed and he didn't stir. Her eyes drifted to the clock and realized if they didn't get ready soon they would be late to dinner. They both needed a night out together to try and rectify things before it all got too far off course. She reached out and put her hand on his chest and she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Roy, wake up. You don't want to be late."

She wasn't surprised when he didn't wake. The man slept like the dead. She took her moment to look at his peaceful face; not wracked by work stress, worry about her or nightmares of his past. She had read some article in one of those woman's magazines about being a more understanding wife and appreciating your husband for providing for your family: basically don't nag the poor man who you married. She had rolled her eyes and thrown the magazine back on the table but at least something stuck with her. He never complained about anything. Not work, not the war, not her. He suffered in silence and she wondered when they stopped talking to each other.

It was never like that before the war, he used to want to talk about everything. It's why she fell in love with him. He believed in truth, the alchemist's dream, but for him it meant talking about life and alchemy with his teacher's daughter. He shared his excitement, his thoughts and dreams with her under the stars in the backyard of her run down home. Then he came back from the war and didn't want to talk about anything except for getting married. She thought he'd eventually open up and go back to that young man she fell in love with, instead he just built more walls and then buried himself in his work. Work was off limits, the war was off limits and the only access she had to his life was what they did together. It's not what she expected, but she didn't exactly expect to be a spy either. Another glance to the clock and she leaned up to his ear and said loudly, "Roy, time to wake up."

He slowly opened his eyes and smiled when he realized Riza was sitting next to him. He reached out and grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He started to let his eyes close again but then it struck him that she wasn't too happy with him at the moment. He stiffened and looked at her hoping she wouldn't be mad.

"We're going to be late for dinner."

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He quietly said, "I love you, Riza. I never wanted to hurt you but I can't seem to ever be the man you deserve."

She put her hand on his cheek and sighed. "I'm still upset, but I haven't been home a lot recently and I can't really blame you for being lonely."

"Yes you can. This is entirely my fault."

"Let's go to dinner." She said as he sat up and she could see his relief and adoration on his face. He leaned over and kissed her before she could remind him that she was still hurt by what she saw. However her anger seemed to melt away as he kissed her like he did the day he came home from Ishval. Like he had almost lost her. "I love your Roy, we'll work past this."

"I don't deserve you." He whispered and put his head on her shoulder.

She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. It was so hard to stay mad at a man who just loved to find reasons to hate himself. "I wish you would talk to me about what is wearing you down. Like you used to."

"Just work." He mumbled.

She knew when he was brushing her off so she ran her hands through his hair and sighed. She could make spies spill secrets but somehow the gift of making her husband open up eluded her.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Ed hated to admit it to himself but he was happy to see Mustang as the Colonel's arrival saved him from going through another box of pictures that Hughes had just pulled from a closet. "Glad to see your incapable of being on time to _anything_. I can't believe you're really a Colonel."

Roy smirked as Hughes came over to take their coats and the cake that they had picked up at the bakery on the way over. "Fullmetal, why don't you grab a stool or something so I can introduce you to my wife. Not really comfortable with you being so short you can look up her dress."

Riza was amazed at the change in her husband as soon as they arrived. Roy rarely acted his age, even when he was a teenager, so it was a rare opportunity to see that relaxed smile and playful tone come from his lips. She looked to the young man who he was addressing and saw the boy grinding his teeth and clenching his fists in aggravation.

"Not everyone is a pervert like you Colonel!"

Riza cocked an eyebrow. Maybe she should still be concerned about his porn addiction if this kid was calling him a pervert. Roy however didn't miss a beat and she saw that smug grin that indicated he was about to say something else smart-assed.

"What's the matter Ed? Afraid to talk to a woman who isn't inflatable?" Roy chirped. "Riza this is Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist and promoter of equal rights for vertically challenged people everywhere. Ed, my wife Riza."

Riza couldn't help but smile as Roy was on a roll. She loved this side of him, even if he was being an ass to a teenager. Yes, coming here tonight was definitely a good decision. It was nice to have him happy and relaxed. "It's an honor to meet you. Congratulations on your certification."

Ed blushed and took her hand. "Uh...thanks."

Roy snorted as he saw the kid flush as soon as he touched his wife's hand. God. This was all too easy! He prepared for another insult however he was interrupted by the clank of armor and the giggles of a little girl as Alphonse Elric entered the room carrying Elicia. "This is Ed's brother, Alphonse. Al, my wife Riza."

"Colonel I didn't hear you come in." Al clanked over and Elicia squeaked as she recognized the couple. "Nice to see you again sir! Thank you for helping my brother with this! I can't thank you enough!"

"I would have done it on my own without his help." Ed snapped.

Al ignored him and turned to the pretty woman by the Colonel's side. "Nice to meet you Mrs. Mustang! I didn't know the Colonel was married!"

"Miracles do happen." Ed mumbled.

Riza wasn't sure what to make of the huge animated suit of armor with the innocent voice of a young man. "Pleasure to meet you both."

"Elicia, do you want to see your Uncle Roy?" Maes asked as he entered the room and plucked his little girl from Al's arm and placed her in Roy's. "Tell your Uncle Roy how much you'd like a friend to come over and play with you? Someone closer to your age?"

Roy sighed. It was always something with Maes. Get a wife. Have some kids. Blah blah. "I think the Elrics are doing a fine job and mentally I think Ed is quite close to her age. In a few short years she'll even be taller than him!"

"You dick." Ed grumbled.

"Don't get _short_ with me, Ed. I'm someone you should _look up to_..." Roy paused and maintained his most professional face as the kid turned red. "...as a superior officer and your professor. You still have a lot to learn as is evident from your use of obscenities as a reply. Cute little Elicia should probably stay in the care of Alphonse until you..grow up a little and censor your mouth."

" A lot to learn? Not everyone wants to learn how to be a condescending ass like you!" Ed felt that vein begin to throb on his head. "Yeah, respect your elders. Guess I see a few grey hairs..."

Roy tried not to react to that. Grey hairs? Where?

Riza felt his body tense as Ed insulted his age. She knew Roy would be asking her to to check his soft black hair for anything out of place later on. For the moment however she was going to let Ed have his victory even if he didn't realize how much it stung.

"Thank you Colonel! She's just the cutest little thing!" Al clapped his hands happy to be acknowledged as a role model for the cute little girl. He didn't remember the man that well from the day they met in Resembool, he had been a little disoriented still without his body. He just remembered there being an authoritative man with dark eyes and hair that marched in the house to yell at them for their stupidity. He thought he was going to take them to jail but instead offered to help them when they grew up a little. Al didn't have the resentment of elders like Ed did, he didn't have the Daddy issues either which he figured was a huge part of it. All he knew was that Colonel Mustang had shown up at their darkest hour and shown them a light they could work towards. Even if Ed would never admit it, Al would never forget that kindness. He figured his brother was exaggerating when he came home and bitched about school. Ed was always a know-it-all and probably thought he should just be exempt from most classes because he thought he knew the material better than the teacher. He was glad Mustang seemed to have as sense of humor as he knew his brother could be obnoxious.

"Isn't she just the most adorable thing EVER!?" Maes looped his arm around Al's shoulder and tears of joy threatened to roll down his cheeks.

Roy handed the little girl back to her father and listened to her squeal with delight. "You should show these two more pictures. Ed's clearly going through withdrawal, he's stopped formulating intelligent insults and just resulted to name calling."

Ed wanted to kick him in the nuts. He couldn't believe he actually agreed to work for this guy! "Yeah, got any embarrassing pictures of Colonel Asshole here?"

"Brother!" Al yelled. He just never knew when to quit! Here they were invited into a nice family's home and all Ed could do was curse and insult his professor.

Maes thought about it. "Maybe..."

Roy glared at him as he scampered out of the room with the Elrics in tow. Alphonse seemed to be harping about respect and Ed was reminding him who was the older brother. Yes, having Hughes kidnap them on a regular basis would at least provide some kind of stable family environment for the kids. He looked over at Riza who gave him a questioning glance. She wanted to know why Ed's little brother was playing dress up with a tin can. "Al lost his body in a failed attempt at human transmutation. Ed bound his soul to that armor. Ed lost a leg and arm for it, and has automail to replace those limbs."

She raised her eyebrows. She was all too aware of the taboos and laws of alchemy thanks to her upbringing. She wasn't surprised Roy would just lay the facts out for her like that. He was a scientist and he would see this as the results of a failed experiment not a illegal act. So this was why he brought these boys here an took them under his wing? To protect them? "Who did they try to bring back?"

"Their mother." He replied. "They're trying to fix things, get their bodies back. Those two kids have done more in their short lives than most alchemists do in a lifetime. They're looking for the philosopher's stone."

"Roy...why would you convince him to join the military after everything they've already done and lost?" She hesitated to say the next part but she didn't need to protect him right now, she was more interested in saving those kids from what he had already endured. "Especially after what you went through. Why are you going to make Al watch the hopeful and inspired brother he loves go to war and come home betrayed and lost. Innocence shattered and haunted by his actions."

Roy raised his eyebrows. Clearly she had some unspoken words about the war she wanted to get off her chest, however he never allowed her to broach the subject. Something he'd have to get over someday. "I...want to protect them. If the government finds out what they did, Al will be an lab rat. Ed is a prodigy right now, if anyone knows he's dabbled in the forbidden already he'll be another suicidal research alchemist trying to save his family. I don't want Ed to be me, I pushed for this so he can be under my protection and nobody will know what he's done. "

"Oh." She said and he turned to her.

"So I hope you can keep a secret." He gave her a warm smile.

Her stomach lurched as she realized the irony of that. "Yeah, I think I can manage that."

"I'm glad you came with me tonight." He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek knowing he was lucky she was allowing him a chance to apologize.

"Any plans for tomorrow night?"

He raised his eyebrows. Clearly he was doing a better job of apologizing than he realized! He looked around and confirmed nobody was returning to the living room immediately before turning to her and wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a seductive grin. "No...what were you thinking we should do?"

She wanted to remind him that she was still really not happy with him and was planning to hold that grudge for a little while longer. However having him in a good mood for her next question would be beneficial. "My Grandfather invited us to General Gribaldi's retirement party."

Roy frowned. Well that sounded a long way from trying to redo last night's fiasco with a more favorable outcome. "Old General Grab-Ass is retiring? Is is a celebration that we don't have to deal with him anymore or did someone actually invite him to his own party?"

"No, I never had to deal with him, Grandpa just was interested in talking to you about your future and reminding you there will be a vacant General position shortly."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that. He and Riza was having issues with their already problematic workload and now she was going to push him to take on a more intensive position? Not that the sound of "General Mustang" didn't sent tingles down his spine, but it would make his real job next to impossible to do. His cover had to be boring and low profile with adequate excuses for disappearing when he needed to. It also allowed him to recruit up and coming cadets into their program.

"Roy?" She poked him in the gut with her thumb. "You're zoning out on me."

"Sorry...I just didn't realize you wanted me to pursue that position. I thought we wanted a life in Central." His mind raced to come up with excuses as to why he had no interest in promotion. He was really beginning to hate his job.

"Maybe...change wouldn't be so bad. A regular schedule might be nice." She rubbed his chest, knowing it was a way to relax him and make him less defensive. She didn't mind it much either. She never really thought about it but he maintained excellent physical condition despite having a boring desk job. She wondered if he spent time between classes working out. "I am pressuring my boss to hire someone else so I won't have to work so much overtime either."

God, he loved and hated when she ran her hands over his chest like that! It made it hard to think, especially when her fingers traced the line of his vest and he wasn't sure where they would roam next. He had to come up with something plausible...why wouldn't he want a promotion? Even he couldn't come up with a good lie for that! Suddenly he looked up on the wall and saw the life size portrait of Elicia over the fireplace and blurted out, "I want kids."

She stopped what she was doing and held her breathe. "What?"

OK, maybe he hadn't really thought that one through. Shit! Why was he such an idiot when it came to talking to his own wife but he could hold his own against anyone on a battlefield? He felt her hands fall off his chest and she just stared at him and looked a little pale. "Not right this minute, but it's something I thought we'd get around to talking about eventually. Your Grandpa, my Mom, Maes is here...I'd hate to take a promotion and end up somewhere like East City where there are serial killers running all over the damned place. I don't want to raise a family there."

She just stared at him and felt like she missed the beginning of a conversation or walked in on a play at intermission. Was she really that bad of a wife that she had no idea what her husband was thinking anymore? "Roy...I..."

"Not the best time to bring this up, I know."

Riza looked up as if on cue Al and Elicia came back in the room and a triumphant Ed followed with an album in his hands. "We can talk about this later."

He sighed. It was going to be a long night. He watched Ed's grin broaden as he marched up and produced a picture. Well, he could always cite Edward as the reason he changed his mind about having kids. That wouldn't be a lie. Roy frowned as he looked at the photo. "This is the best you could come up with? You just always come up a little _short _don't you?"

Maes shrugged. "That mustache was awful. Made you look like a pedophile."

"I was going for older and dignified." Roy replied and watched Ed deflate as his choice in blackmail material didn't have the effect he intended.

"Yeah, that's not what happened." Maes said as Riza chuckled upon seeing the picture.

"Roy, you look like you need a top hat so you can tie a damsel to the railroad tracks." Riza laughed.

He looked over at her and was happy to see her smile. "What's the matter Fullmetal, jealous I can actually grow facial hair?"

"I wouldn't brag about this, Colonel." Ed snorted. "Looks like a moldy meal worm fell onto your face . You really don't need help looking old either."

Roy glared at him. Dammit, Hughes must have tipped him off about his age insecurities!

"Let's have dinner huh?" Maes said an Elicia giggled. "This is supposed to be a celebratory dinner for Ed!."

xxxxxxxx

Roy rubbed his neck as Riza walked up the steps to their home and unlocked the door. Dinner managed to stay moderately tame as Al's cheery voice dominated the conversation since he wasn't able to eat. Ed was wisked away for "Alchemist Hazing" before dessert and the evening drew to a quiet close. He was happy Al was going to stay with the Hughes's, he was a great kid and he deserved to be part of a family. Gracia would be the talk of the neighborhood now that she had a 'robot babysitter'.

"It was nice to see you relaxed." Riza watched him look at her with a grin as he locked the front door. She turned to take off her coat and hang it up as he walked over to slip his arms around her waist and kiss her neck from behind. "It's been a while, you're always so stressed out and I'm so busy..."

"Can I apologize for last night?" He asked cautiously and kissed up her neck to her jawline. His hands rolled over the cotton fabric of her dress and his breathe began to get irregular. He hoped she wouldn't refuse him, he really needed her right now.

"Yeah..." She said and felt her heart begin to race. "I'll take that apology."

It was all the encouragement he needed to kiss his way back down to where her shoulder met her neck as his right hand snaked up her sternum, between her breasts and into her dress to grope her. He could feel her breath catch and her body reacted to him by leaning back into him to granted him better access.

She tilted her head back and rested it on his right shoulder as he kissed her clavicle and his fingers traced her nipple. He wasn't taking a chance tonight that she would change her mind, he was in her dress so quickly. He knew exactly what to do to make her surrender to him and as his teeth scraped the strap of her dress off her shoulder she let go a soft sigh.

The dress fell off her shoulder and left him wondering if he wanted to fight with that damned strapless bra or take it off. The way she was reacting to him he didn't want to take his hands away from what he was doing. Her head was now back on his shoulder as she pressed into his body and he opted to kiss her now very exposed neck as he gently squeezed her breast and let his thumb stroke her nipple. Another soft moan made his left hand leave her midsection to her thigh so he could push up her dress.

She squeaked as his left hand touched her flesh and made it's way to the band of her panties. His fingers delicately pulled the band down over her hip before tracing their way to the other side to repeat the move. She was glad he waited until they got home to do this, knowing him he would have tried this in the bathroom at the Hughes home and she would have been hard pressed to convince herself to stop him. How the hell she could choose work instead of coming home to this...oh that's right. She worked so that she could protect this...

Listening to her murmurs of pleasure and feeling her body react to his every move was heavenly. His fingers pushed her silk underwear down far enough to grant him access to her most sensitive spots and he caught his breath as she twitched and moaned as he slipped his fingers between her legs.

"Roy..." She hardly recognized her own voice as she gasped and huskily whimpered his name. Her body twitched as he reminded her how damned good he was with his hands.

"Yes dear?" He grinned as she seemed to have the hardest time forming coherent thoughts now. He loved that he could do this to her, to make her lose control of her thoughts and own body with just his touch.

"I want you...don't just apologize..."

He wasn't going to refuse the invitation. He intended to simply enjoy giving her an orgasm and she knew it, apparently he was predicable. Not that he was going to be upset with that, he was glad he could participate and enjoy the treasured release with her. "You're almost there...let me just.."

"No..I want you in me." She pulled away from him and turned to push him against he wall and kiss him. "Make love to me not just make me feel good as an apology. I want you...to give it to me...not just your hands."

He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. Her lips met his as he carried her up the stairs to their bedroom. He felt for every step carefully as she wove her fingers into his hair and kissed him hungrily. He wanted to race up with stairs to get her into the bedroom, but wasn't going to take a chance of tripping or deny her the chance to kiss him like she was. OK, so getting married was probably one of the best decisions he ever made.


End file.
